8 Responses to “How To Hit The Ball Higher”

Hi Paul! Maybe this relates to changing the weight distribution to get a higher launch angle…..but I have tried to consciously feel like I am swinging up as my hips initiate the downswing; it seems to help getting the ball started higher.

My worry, however, is that starts to bring the arms more into the shot. So far, I haven’t been pulling the shots and they have been going higher, but would like to get your sense whether or not this is a good swing thought, i.e. feel like I am swinging up at the ball.

I am okay with this thought. I got it by hanging back more on my right foot. Both of these things accomplish the same goal of adding more loft. I think you can still swing up without the arms. I have people get this feeling when doing practice swings off the ground as a drill. Just tilt the upper body more right and the club will swing up at it more. I think you just need to get used to it.

Will having a short swing also cause low trajectory? By that I mean less than parallel at the top. I always seem to hit the ball more solid when I keep my swing a little short but the trajectory is lower which is obviously an issue with shallow greens as well as going over an obstacle. Thanks.

A lower trajectory is caused because you are de-lofting your clubs. Could it happen if you shorten your backswing? Maybe. This shortening may cause your hands to come through more descending or more ahead of the ball than you are used to. It may be causing you to shift more weight to your forward foot through impact which could also de-loft your club.

People who hit the ball lower usually have a strong grip and are into their forward leg with the weight shift too soon. Just check your grip to make sure it is neutral and experiment with your weight distribution and see what happens. There has to be something causing it. To get the ball higher way back when I was starting out I just felt more weight on the back foot through impact.

Hi Paul;
When I look at my grip, there are 2 knuckles showing on my right hand. Left handed golfer. Would you consider that a strong grip? If so, what are you considering neutral? I’m a little confused by the idea of feeling more weight on my back foot thru impact, when your whole concept is based on is getting weight to the front by touching your knees & keeping the grip ahead of the head at impact. I can hit the ball higher if my swing is longer, but then my contact isn’t nearly as consistently solid as with the 3/4 swing. My playing partner’s grip has both thumbs straight down the shaft & he hit’s the ball as high as any pro. Of course his swing speed is 120 so maybe that’s a major issue. Mine is under 90, but then I’m 61 yrs old. I seem to be between a rock & a hard place & it’s extremely frustrating. Any further ideas? Thanks for the quick replies; it’s much appreciated.

If you are 90% into your forward leg at impact, more weight on the back foot would have 70-80% on the forward foot through impact.

You have to be de-lofting the club. This is the only way you can hit it lower. Something is causing it. Maybe you think you are in a 2 knuckle grip at address then you re-grip as you take the club back to a strong grip (I see this all the time).

Maybe you are sliding laterally too much through impact. I have seen before.

If you are not even in th 90’s with your swing speed you are hitting it with your arms. There has to be something there. Video your swing and watch your grip to see if you change it as you go back. Also, feel the new weight distribution through impact. I would think you are flat footed as you hit the ball.

I hit some low shots yesterday so took a look at this tip. I just realised one thing, when loading 80+% weight on the forward leg at impact it looks like your left hip is going straight to the left, but when you stay behind the ball more as you show the left hip seems to go “up and left” more if you get what I mean?

It sure does but I am not trying to do that. I am loading then firing my lower body hard and fast. This tilts my upper body behind the ball. It is like hitting the accelerator on a car. Fire the bottom and the upper hangs back.